Influence of School Climate, Sense of Alienation, and Perceived Religious Discrimination on Muslim Students’ Academic Engagement in Catholic Schools

Abstract

Poor academic engagement remains a relevant concern in diverse educational settings. This study examines the contribution of School Climate, Sense of Alienation, and Perceived Religious Discrimination as determinants of Academic Engagement among 105 Senior High School Muslim students. Diagnostic research design, purposive sampling, survey technique, and multiple regression analysis were applied. The findings revealed that, collectively, the school climate and sense of alienation significantly influence academic engagement; however, perceived religious discrimination had a significant negative impact on the criterion. Collectively, these variables account for 20.3% of the variance in academic engagement. Therefore, Ecological Systems Theory is affirmed. Likewise, the results support the need to improve inclusive educational practices aligned with SDG 4: Quality Education and encourage further research to examine additional influencing variables.